Inside the USS Lionfish, a Balao-class WWII submarine

The USS Lionfish is a Balao-class submarine docked at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. Commissioned in 1944, the 311-foot-long boat earned one battle star in World War II, sank a Japanese submarine, rescued the crew of a downed B-29, and later served as a training vessel.

Submarines like the Lionfish made up less than 2% of US Navy ships in World War II but sank 55% of Japanese vessels, part of America’s "Silent Service." Over two war patrols the Lionfish sank a Japanese submarine, destroyed a schooner, and carried out that B-29 rescue.

It was recommissioned for the Korean War, serving from 1951 to 1953, and from 1960 to 1971 it worked as a reserve training submarine. Since 1973 it has been on display at Battleship Cove. I visited the museum in January. The self-guided tour begins in the forward torpedo room, where 16 torpedomen slept on pull-out bunks beside six torpedo tubes and 10 reloads.

United States, Fall River, Massachusetts

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